


never-ending dream

by marmolita



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Altissia, Canon Compliant, Eloping, F/M, First Time, Kissing, Romance, Wedding Night, Weddings, except for being canon compliant, it's almost fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 14:36:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13320228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marmolita/pseuds/marmolita
Summary: "You know," Prompto begins, but then shakes his head and says, "Nah, nevermind.""What?  You can't just say that.""I was just thinking . . . I dunno, maybe I've heard one too many fairy tales.  But it would be kind of romantic if the two of you eloped, you know?  Like, secret wedding, running away together."





	never-ending dream

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I filled [my own prompt](https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/4398.html?thread=7670574#cmt7670574) on the meme, but hopefully there are some other people out there who also wanted Noctis and Luna to have one night together in Altissia before the rite. Title is from [the Eric Martin feat. John 5 cover](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrl2je) of [L'Arc~en~Ciel's "Honey."](https://vimeo.com/31021936)

"I'm glad we could talk," Secretary Claustra says. "We can each act in our own interest to our mutual benefit."

"Now that we've settled on terms for the rite, I was hoping I might be allowed to meet with the Oracle," Noctis says as he shakes her hand.

Claustra looks at him consideringly, then smiles. "Yes, I think that can be arranged. You understand, of course, that security is tight and we cannot allow Lady Lunafreya to leave the building until the appointed time. Return here the evening before the rite, and you may see her then."

Noctis swallows against the butterflies that suddenly rise up in his stomach. He wasn't sure she'd say yes, but now that she has the thought of seeing Luna again is almost more than he can take. "Thank you," he says, and she smiles at him again before nodding at her guards to escort him out.

***

The next days go by in a haze as he waits. Now that Accordo has agreed to allow them to perform the rite, there are arrangements to make, evacuations to plan, logistics to handle, and Noctis is involved in all of it. He leaves much of the work to Ignis, especially when he's distracted by a million flitting thoughts of seeing Luna. How has she been these last months? How has she been these last eight years? They've written to each other, but writing can only communicate so much, and he has no way of knowing if she's hidden the worst of her captivity from him. Sometimes, he's nearly sick with worry thinking about her locked away by the Empire, alone but for Gentiana.

Other times, he thinks of her face, and how she'll smile when she sees him, and how he'll get to be in the warmth of her presence for the first time in ages.

"Excited to see Lady Lunafreya?" Prompto asks, catching Noctis with a stupid grin on his face staring off the balcony of their hotel room.

"What? No, I--" Noctis startles, embarrassed to be caught daydreaming, then relaxes at Prompto's fond smile. "Yeah, I am."

"You know," Prompto begins, but then shakes his head and says, "Nah, nevermind."

"What? You can't just say that."

"I was just thinking . . . I dunno, maybe I've heard one too many fairy tales. But it would be kind of romantic if the two of you eloped, you know? Like, secret wedding, running away together."

Noctis laughs. "I would if I could, but it's not like Luna would ever run from her duty." He sighs, and adds, "When all this is over -- if we survive it -- then if we get married we'll have to do a big state affair thing. Fancy clothes, hundreds of guests, all that stuff."

"Yeah but you could still have a secret wedding, and then already be married when you have the real one. All you need to get married is to say your vows with some witnesses, right?"

"There's probably . . . paperwork, or something, isn't there? A marriage certificate?" Noctis frowns. He doesn't remember much of the weddings he'd attended back in Insomnia, and those sort of details of his own wedding planning were all handled by others.

"For legal stuff, sure, but to be married in the eyes of the Gods? I don't think they give a shit about paperwork. Can't exactly imagine Bahamut holding a pen in those giant hands of his." Prompto grins and bumps Noctis with his shoulder, and Noctis can't help laughing.

***

Lunafreya rests her head against the velvet back of her chair, taking a deep breath against the bone-deep weariness she feels constantly these days. Carefree citizens stroll along the street below, but her view is obscured by the decorative bars on the window. This place is a prison disguised as a home, as all the places she's lived since the fall of Tenebrae have been. The Accordan Secretary has been kind, but it's a risk for her to allow Lunafreya to be here. She's grateful for the temporary sanctuary, but still, she wishes she was free. She wishes her body wasn't so weak, and that she didn't need to force herself to keep going; most of all, she wishes she wasn't alone.

This is all for Noctis, she tells herself, so that he can fulfill his destiny and restore light to their star, ridding it of the scourge forever. It's for Noctis, the sweetest, kindest soul she's ever known. It's for Noctis, who sent her photos of himself with his friends and sheets of cactuar stickers to cheer her up in the isolation of her captivity. Noctis, with whom she'd made childhood promises that they renewed in their letters for years. _I'll be with you someday_ and _we'll do it together_ and _after we restore the light, we'll grow old together._

Tomorrow, she'll forge a covenant with Leviathan. Noctis is here in Altissia; she's heard the servants and guards gossipping, and she hopes she'll be able to see him before Niflheim takes her away, or before the strain of another covenant takes the last of her remaining strength. The guards have her locked into her suite, but if only she could see his face again, hear his voice--

"Luna?"

Her head jerks up, swinging wildly toward the door. "Noctis!" she cries, rushing out of her chair and crashing against his chest, real and solid and warm. There are tears in her eyes but she doesn't care; she doesn't need to hide them from Noctis like she does from the rest of the world. His arms settle around her softly and he pulls her close, then releases her.

"Luna," he says again, holding both her hands in his, "are you-- are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

There are tears on his face too, his beautiful eyes shining bright with them, and her heart is so full she doesn't quite know what to do. "I'm fine," she says, even though she isn't. They don't need to talk about that right now, not when there are so many other things between them. "Noctis, I'm so sorry about your father. Everything he did was to keep you safe."

Noctis closes his eyes briefly, and she can see the weight of all he's lost pulling against the joy of their reunion. "It's so good to see you," he says. "When the news reports said you were dead, I--"

She squeezes his hands. "They said you were dead too, you know."

A polite cough from the doorway startles the both of them, and Noctis wipes his eyes with the back of his hand before sheepishly smiling at the men clustered in the entrance to her suite. She recognizes them from the photos Noctis has sent her; Noctis's faithful advisor, his steady shield, and his dear friend who once saved Pryna. "Um, guys, this is--"

"Lady Lunafreya," Ignis says, bowing formally. "Ignis Scientia, at your service."

"Yes, of course!" Lunafreya says with a wide smile. "Noctis has told me all about you. Thank you for taking such good care of him. And Gladio, you are larger than life just as I imagined." She turns to Prompto, who's shifting his weight from side to side, blushing a little, with his hands clasped behind his back. "Prompto, it's so good to meet you at last."

"Um, yeah! I-- You're-- Noct talks about you so much, I mean, he doesn't really, but I know he thinks about you a lot, and I do too!" Prompto blanches, and Noctis grins. Lunafreya tries not to laugh. "I mean, not the way he does, of course, because I'm not--"

He's cut off by a bark, as Pryna suddenly emerges from behind the sofa and nudges at Prompto's hand with her nose. Prompto makes a sound that can only be described as a squeal, and is immediately on his knees petting the dog. "Pryna is glad to see you too," she says, covering her smile with her hand.

The servants bring dinner, and Noctis's friends make small talk as much as they're able in such a time. Ignis is much as she'd expected him to be, cordial and proper and with a wicked sense of humor. Gladio is friendly and open and talks rather a lot about his sister, who Noctis has only mentioned a few times. Prompto is funny and cheerful when he forgets that he's nervous; Pryna puts him at ease by running between their chairs begging for scraps.

It's clear that they all love Noctis very much. And how could anyone not? He's just as she remembered. There's a deep warmth in his eyes when he looks at her, and his voice is soft and kind, even when he teases his friends. They may not have seen each other in person these past eight years, but she's seen photographs of Noctis and heard his voice on the radio. Somehow he's even more handsome in person. Her gaze lingers on the shape of his face, and she blushingly remembers the past few years of reading his flirtatious messages alone in her bedroom. Their youthful correspondence had turned into something more, a difficult to pinpoint pivot from simple promises of being together to dreams of the future to Lunafreya confessing that she found herself thinking rather a lot about kissing him.

It's a thought that plagues her now as well, when they catch each other's eyes across the table, and she's fairly certain Noctis is thinking the same thing. The topic inevitably turns to the war, though, and Lunafreya shares what she knows of Niflheim's plans. It isn't much -- she hasn't seen Ravus in weeks, and it's not as if he ever shared much of what he knew. Serious talk darkens the mood, and while she knows they ought to to discuss their plans for the rite tomorrow, she can't help but wish for just one evening to be with Noctis without care, to laugh with him as they did in their youth.

"We saw your wedding dress on display," Gladio says, changing the subject as if he can read her thoughts. Perhaps he's just good at reading expressions.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" Lunafreya says. "The skirt is very heavy -- I could barely move when they did the fitting. It's a shame that I won't get to wear it."

"I told Noct we gotta make this wedding happen, when this is all over." Gladio grins at her. "Maybe you'll get to wear it after all."

Luna sighs sadly. "It seems unlikely that the wedding will occur. The treaty is no longer relevant, and . . ." She hesitates, then confesses, "With each covenant, I grow weaker."

Noctis stands up suddenly, drawing everyone's attention. "Let's do it now."

"Do what?" Lunafreya asks.

"Get married. Let's get married now. You-- You won't get to wear the dress, but we can--" He gestures vaguely, looking to Prompto for help. "Prompto, you're the one you suggested it the other day, you said we should elope."

"I didn't think you'd actually do it," Prompto says, his voice a little strained.

"Noct," Ignis says gently, "a wedding ceremony requires a great deal of preparation. There's licensing, and an officiant, and--"

"We don't need any of that," Noctis says recklessly. "We can say our vows, we can-- we have witnesses. We'll be married in the eyes of the Gods." Lunafreya can't stop staring at him, her heart beating hard in her chest at his impassioned plea. Gladio is looking at him like he's grown a second head, but Noctis doesn't stop. He takes her hand in his own, and she looks up into his eyes, alight with the fire in his heart. "What do you say, Luna?"

"Noctis, I . . . " Their eyes connect for a long moment, a moment full of eight years of secret messages and shared duty and destiny, and then she smiles. "That sounds like a wonderful idea." 

***

They have the ceremony after the dinner has been cleared away, when the servants have all left and the door has been closed again, the guards taking their places on the outside. Lunafreya and Noctis stand facing each other, and she smiles as he takes her hands in his own. She feels light and giddy, like . . . Like a girl on her wedding day, she supposes. If only Gentiana were here with her, but she knows that Gentiana is with her even if she's not physically present. They'll be married in the eyes of the Gods, quite literally.

"By the stars above and the souls of my ancestors," Noctis says, his voice strong in the traditional words, "I, Noctis Lucis Caelum, enter into the covenant of marriage with you, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. I give myself to you as your husband for all eternity, and promise to stand by you no matter what the future may bring."

"You've never called me Lunafreya before," she says with a smile. Noctis has a grin to match, and he looks _happy_ , for this one moment in the midst of their struggle. She repeats her own vows, and Ignis ties one of her scarves around their joined hands to symbolize their union.

"All that remains is to seal your vows with a kiss," Ignis says with a cheeky raise of his eyebrow. She's dreamed of this for so long, never quite believing it would actually happen, but Noctis is leaning down, his head tilting, and she lifts her chin and their lips connect. It's brief, but soft and warm, a promise of more, though it may never come to pass.

Prompto lets out a loud whoop and Ignis and Gladio applaud, and then Pryna and Umbra are shoving between them and Noctis laughs and pulls his hand from the scarf to scratch Umbra's ears, and even if it's just this one moment, Lunafreya thinks, it's enough.

When the applause has died down and the dogs have settled, Gladio says, "How about we give the newlyweds some privacy? We can head back to the Leville and His Highness can come later."

"An excellent suggestion," Ignis says.

"Yeah," Prompto says with a wink, "we won't wait up for you." Noctis flushes, but he steals a sideways glance at Lunafreya, whose cheeks heat as well.

They take their leave after making the appropriate arrangements with the guards, and she finds herself alone with Noctis -- with her husband.

"I gotta say," Noctis says, "I didn't think we'd actually manage to do it."

"Neither did I, but I'm glad we did." They sit down on the sofa together, and she leans into Noctis's side until he wraps his arm around her shoulders. It's intimate and comfortable, and she never wants him to leave. "I've missed you terribly."

"Me too." His hand squeezes her arm gently, and he says, "You're thinner than I expected. You said the covenants are making you weaker -- are you really alright?"

She sighs. "For now at least. But Noctis . . . I fear our time together is short. It seems unlikely we'll survive the trials ahead of us."

"Thought you were the one who always believed we'd be able to fulfill our destiny," he says, a little surprised.

"I do believe you'll fulfill your destiny. My role is only to guide and assist you, and I doubt whether I will live to see you do it. Destiny has a way of exacting sacrifices of the worst kind." Her heart sinks to think of the difficulties ahead, and she turns her head against his chest, comforted by the sound of his heart beating strongly within.

"I'm glad you agreed to marry me." She glances up to find him looking back down at her. "If we don't have a lot of time, then . . ." His cheeks redden just a hint, and he says, "The wedding vows are for eternity together. If we don't have much time in this world, we can have it in the next."

Lunafreya pulls away just enough to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him. When she pulls back, she says, "That is the most romantic thing I've ever heard, Noctis." He looks surprised, his eyes wide and his face flushed. His gaze lingers on her mouth, sending a pleasant tingle down her spine. "Even if we have eternity together, I'd still like to have this night with you."

There's a moment between them, then Noctis leans down and kisses her again. It's slower this time, longer, his lips moving against hers until she opens her mouth and the kiss deepens. She's never been kissed like this before, and while it's kind of messy and awkward to have someone's tongue in her mouth, it also sends pleasant heat coiling in the pit of her belly. When they pull apart to breathe, she can't help asking, "Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

Noctis ducks his head and says, "Uh, well, the guys didn't want me to be unprepared for my wedding, so . . . "

Lunafreya can't help giggling. "You mean you-- and _them_ \--"

"Hey, I don't see you complaining," Noctis says, kissing her again between giggles until she's breathless. "It was just practice kissing anyway. They mostly laughed at me."

"Well," she says, tracing her fingers down the side of his jaw, "I suppose practice makes perfect. You'll have to allow me to practice some more." He obliges her, and she gets a chance to explore his mouth with her tongue. It's strange but good, and even better is his hand sliding around her waist as he lays her back against the cushions. This time when they pull apart, he kisses her cheek, then her neck, and she gasps, trembling at the unexpected feeling.

"Is this okay?" he asks, drawing back to look at her.

She nods and he goes back to what he was doing, kissing a wet line down her throat. Tangling her fingers in his soft hair, she wonders how far this is going to go. She wonders how far she wants it to go. He's her husband, and this is their wedding night, and she blushes at the thought but also finds a surprising well of desire within herself.

He reaches her collarbone, gives her one last kiss, then lifts himself up to look down at her. "Luna . . . "

"Shall we take this to the bedroom?" she asks, feeling reckless and bold.

Noctis blinks at her, lips parting in surprise. "Do you-- Um, if you want to?"

She raises her eyebrows at him and says, "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to." Suddenly unable to meet his gaze, she adds, "I thought we should . . . consummate our marriage, to make sure the vows take hold."

Before she can look back at him, Noctis is moving, and then she's swept up off the sofa and into his surprisingly strong arms. Of course, once he's picked her up, he hesitates in the middle of the room to ask which door leads to the bedroom, and she enjoys the way his eyes sparkle when she laughs at him.

He lays her down gently on the bed, then kicks his shoes off and climbs up next to her. For a moment they simply lie there and look at each other, and she catalogues the changes in his face from the boy she knew years ago. She can still see that boy in the blue of his eyes, less wide now than when he was a child, and the fall of his dark hair. His skin is still smooth and golden as it was back then, but he has a mole near his mouth that must have developed in the years since. She brushes the tips of her fingers over the bow of his lips, and he kisses them.

"You're beautiful," he says, leaning in to touch his forehead to hers. "Luna, I--"

"Hmm?"

"I love you. I've always loved you."

She smiles, heart swelling, and says, "And I you. Noctis, our marriage may have been arranged, but of all the things that Niflheim has done in the past eight years, it's the only one that's made me happy."

He kisses her again, and again, and she gets lost in the slow heat of his mouth as he rolls on top of her. His body is warm and it feels good to be covered by him; it feels safe. He may be younger than she is, but their roles have reversed from their childhood and he has become the protector. Their kisses grow deeper, more passionate, and she finds herself leaning into his touch when he hesitantly slides his hand up and his thumb brushes the side of her breast. Emboldened by her reaction, he moves his hand around to cup her breast fully, and she can't help gasping at the brush of his fingers across her nipple.

"Is that okay?" he asks, lips brushing her neck.

"Yes," she says, "please." He keeps touching her, and she returns the favor, her hands sliding over his back, clutching at his hip, until he sits back and takes off his jacket, tossing it off the side of the bed. He hesitates, and she puts her hands on the buttons of his shirt and starts opening them while he watches, his chest heaving. When she's gotten them all, he shrugs out of the shirt, leaving only a thin black undershirt.

He leans down over her again and kisses her, and she slides her hands up under the hem of his shirt. His skin is hot and smooth, and he makes a small sound into her mouth and presses himself against her. Lunafreya draws in a sharp breath as the heat of his arousal rubs against her thigh, strange but intoxicating. "Sorry," he murmurs against her lips, and she shakes her head.

"Don't be. It feels good." She moves one hand down under the waistband of his slacks and pushes, encouraging him to move. After that it's a bit of a blur of kissing and touching and bodies rubbing together, and Noctis's shirt disappears at some point, along with his belt. Lunafreya feels alive with love and passion as she lets her fingers and lips explore her husband's body, and he explores her in turn.

His hand slides up her thigh, shoving the hem of her dress along with it, and she jerks in surprise and pleasure when he reaches between her legs. She's touched herself before but it's not at all the same to have his hand there instead, hot and solid, and she makes an embarrassing sound as he rubs against her. "Can I take your dress off?" he asks, still a little hesitant despite his clear eagerness.

She swallows, unable to form words, and nods. He backs off and she stands and turns so he can undo her zipper, then he pushes the dress down over her shoulders. It falls from her hips, and she turns back to him, certain her face is flushed with excitement and no small amount of nerves. Noctis is gazing at her like she's the most beautiful creature he's ever seen, and she feels reassured by the way he licks his lips. She looks pointedly at his pants, and he hurriedly kicks them off, leaving only his tented underwear.

Noctis reaches out, his hands coming to rest on the bare skin of her waist, and Lunafreya shivers. He moves slowly, drawing her in, and then they're kissing again, skin to skin, and it's almost too much to bear. To have Noctis here with her after so many years, alive and safe and with the blessings of Titan and Ramuh crackling under his skin -- to have him as her husband, to experience his love firsthand rather than through letters sent over hundreds of miles, it's a blessing she will be grateful for forever.

They pull down the sheets and get back onto the bed, and Noctis settles between her legs, bringing them into close contact that she's hardly dared to dream about. There's heat and pressure and even though they still have their undergarments on, she feels like she's crossing a line.

And then, the undergarments are coming off, and Noctis's fingers are delving between her legs. "Tell me what you like," he says in her ear, "I've never done this before." She guides his hand the way she pleasures herself, and through the haze in her mind reaches down to return the favor. She's seen naked men in her duty as a healer, but never aroused, and this is different. This is _Noctis_ , her husband, the love of her life, and when she wraps her hand around him and he moans, his fingers slowing to a stop within her, it makes her feel powerful in an entirely different way than she does when performing her duties.

He grabs her hand and moves it back between her own legs, saying, "You first," and she guides him to chase her own pleasure, reaching her climax with his lips on her breast and his fingers hot against her. Then he's moving, pulling his hand away, and he suddenly hesitates. "I don't have any condoms," he says.

Lunafreya laughs, still breathless. "Don't worry about it. You're my husband, now, and if a child were to take root from our coupling, I would bear it gladly."

" _Luna_ ," he says, and he kisses her again, soft and slow, and moves into position. She helps him find the right spot, and then he pushes slowly inside, panting and gasping the whole time. It's uncomfortable at first, and she makes him stop and wait a few times while he trembles with the effort of holding still, but eventually he bottoms out, and she lays back and tries to relax. She feels full like she never has from her own fingers, and with him on top of her and within her she feels completely surrounded by him -- surrounded and protected by his love.

They make love slowly, carefully, with all of the emotion that's been waiting years to be expressed. As they move together, the soft glow of her magic wells up between them, mixing together with the blue threads of Noctis's. It's an act of healing and an act of creation, the light of the Oracle blending into the power of the crystal until there's no room between the two, just as there's no room between their bodies, as they're sharing the same air. She feels that the Gods are with her, blessing their union, and she closes her eyes and gives herself over to the intensity of their joining.

When it's over, Noctis lays next to her in the bed, and she curls up against his chest. His arm encircles her, and he presses soft, sleepy kisses to her temple as she traces a drop of sweat on its path down his chest. Tomorrow, she'll call upon Leviathan to forge a covenant, and Noctis will fight to win her blessing. Tomorrow, the Empire will try to interfere, and Noctis's friends will risk their lives to keep the people of Accordo safe. Tomorrow, they'll face their destiny together.

But for now, he can be simply her dear Noctis, and she his beloved Luna, and that's enough.

***

Noctis wakes to the sound of Luna's voice saying his name. He opens his eyes blearily, the dawn light filtering through the thin drapes to light her face as she leans over him. For a moment, he thinks he's still dreaming.

But then he blinks, and remembers, and his heart beats fast at seeing that she's still naked in bed with him. She leans down and kisses his lips, and he can't think of a better thing to wake up to. Happiness wells inside him, in a place where he's felt nothing but sadness for so long, and he puts his arms around her and holds her close.

"Noctis," she says when they separate, "we need to get up."

He groans and tucks his face into her neck, kissing her soft skin. "Wish we could stay like this forever."

"As do I, but there are preparations to make for the rite, and your companions are surely worrying about their errant king." Noctis hums in assent, but keeps kissing her -- it's easier than stopping. "Noctis," she says, then again, " _Noctis_ ," and he relents and releases her. She presses one more kiss to his mouth, then slides out of bed. He watches her as she crosses the room naked, blushing at his own body's reaction before he remembers that she's his wife, and he has no reason to be ashamed.

He follows her out of bed, picking up his discarded clothing and dressing as she puts on a robe. His shirt and pants are wrinkled, but mostly clean, and he takes a minute in the bathroom to splash some water on his face and try to make his hair somewhat orderly.

Gentiana is there when he emerges from the bedroom, and he flushes and mutters a greeting. Her smile is inscrutable as ever, and she says, "Gain the blessing of the Hydraean, O King of the Stone, and reclaim the Ring. The love of the Oracle will bouy the King's spirits and inflame him in battle."

"The Ring?"

"You father's ring," Luna says. "I have it. I could give it to you now, but I believe if I possess it when I wake Leviathan it may help to forge the covenant."

His chest closes up a little at the thought of his father, and at the thought of the ring, as it always has. "Then keep it," he says. "You can give it to me after. We'll have time, won't we?"

Luna smiles. "Of course." Gentiana is gone again, he notices as he takes Luna into his arms. They kiss, slowly and tenderly, and Noctis probably would keep kissing her for another hour if Umbra didn't rudely shove his head between the two of them. "Go," she says. "I'll see you at the rite."

"Alright, I'm going," he says, though really he's kissing her again, one last time, as she giggles and shoves him away playfully.

The guard at the door carefully does not remark on his rumpled appearance, or the fact that the King of Lucis is sneaking out of the Oracle's private rooms at the break of dawn. He grins like an idiot the whole gondola ride back to the Leville, but tries to school his face into something more sober before he enters the room he shares with the others.

" _There_ he is," Ignis says with a sly smile. They're all awake and eating breakfast at the small table, and Noctis isn't sure whether he'd rather join them or take a shower. "I was beginning to worry you and Lady Lunafreya had actually run away together as Prompto had suggested."

"Pay up," Gladio says to Prompto, who sputters over his food.

"Hey! How do you know you won?"

"He's coming back in here earlier than he's usually awake, with a dopey grin on his face, and a giant hickey on his neck. You think they were just talking all night? Pay up."

"You guys were making bets about me?" Noctis asks, a little offended. Just for that he steals Gladio's toast, though he does take a moment to adjust the collar of his shirt. Prompto hands over some cash to Gladio, who smirks as he tucks it into his pocket. He looks sideways at Prompto. "And you bet against me?"

Prompto makes a face. "I thought maybe Lady Lunafreya would want to get some _rest_ before waking up a _god_ , is that so hard to believe?"

The conversation turns to good-natured ribbing, and Noctis relaxes. He's lost so much, but he still has his friends, and now his wife. It's only a few hours until he'll see her again, and he can't wait.

***

_~Ten years later~_

Noctis opens his eyes. The first thing he realizes is that he's not in pain. The second is that the sky is bright.

He sits up in a field of sylleblossoms, and Luna is there, waiting for him.

"Am I dead?" he asks, and she smiles and holds out her hand.

"Eternity together," she says, "just as we vowed."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks as always to the best beta in the world, [misswonderheart](misswonderheart.tumblr.com)! Also thanks to [r3zuri](http://r3zuri.tumblr.com) for encouraging all my lunoct thoughts and for suggesting the play on all the fics about the bros teaching Noct to kiss (which btw [I wrote one of](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11927733)) and to freosan and introductory for listening to me whine about this fic. Find me on tumblr @[marmolita](http://marmolita.tumblr.com)!


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